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In our continuing series of cultural snapshots of Portland’s colorful history, this week offers a few archival images that accentuate the presence of Scandinavians here in the city. For centuries, there have been communities of Norwegians, Danes, and Swedes in the Portland area- settling here in Maine from northern Europe. The following photographs, from the Portland Press Herald Still-Film Negative Collection, which is now part of the Portland Public Library Archives, demonstrate some of the Scandinavian traditions and institutions that continue today. The archival collection is in-process, though here are a few discoveries.

This image is from 1960, with a great example of traditional Scandinavian dress.

Portland’s Bayside was the early center of Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish communities. There were churches on Mayo Street (Saint Ansgar), Elm Street (First Lutheran), and Wilmot Street (Scandinavian Baptist), in close proximity and maintaining their native languages. Here is a wedding in 1937.

From 1953, with Danish Christmas cookies forming a tower- called Kransekaker.

Portland’s famous Nissen Bakery (at left) on Washington Avenue, in its 90-year presence on Munjoy Hill, was founded in 1900 by Jürgen Jepsen Nissen- who immigrated from Denmark.

Yes, it’s that time of the year- for nursery school children and post-grad university students alike, along with all of us that teach and support the learning process. To commemorate the Back to School season, the Library wishes good studies (bonnes études!) with a few selections from the Archives in the Portland Room.

Children’s Theatre of Maine, beginning in 1924, is America’s oldest continuing children’s theatrical company. Some of their earliest performances were at the Elm Theatre which stood where the eastern portion of the Portland Public Library now stands! Children’s Theatre has a history filled with colorful highlights and milestones, and these are preserved in the Archives in the Portland Room and in the Library’s Digital Commons digitized collections.

The image below shows a poster from a Children’s Theatre play in 1954, performed at Deering Oaks park.

The pictures immediately above and below were taken in 1948 (on Kodachrome film), at Redbank Village. The Children’s Theatre trailer stage even drew the attention of Life Magazine, and it was towed to Central Park for performances by the kids from Portland to New York audiences!

The above image shows a captivated audience in the 1940s, and the image below shows a Children’s Theatre member named Tony Shalhoub, helping a younger actor in 1975. Children’s Theatre history includes many celebrity actors and supporters- the latter including Bette Davis and Tony Randall.

Two images from the late 1990s – early 2000s: Above: an outdoor performance in Falmouth; Below: “The Emporer’s New Clothes,” performed at Nathan Clifford School.

Through their continuing history, Children’s Theatre has benefited from its energetic mentors. Below is an image from the early 1990s, as two young actors review a script with Lisa DiFranza.